Combined latch and lock structure



Sept. 8, 1970 w. E". ATklNs o N v3,

' COMBINED LATCH AND Locx STRUCTURE- Filed Feb. 17; 1969 'INVENTOR WALLACE E. ATKINSON l l 'l/ BY l v ,6}, W3 so-u' i'wu fl Wmci.

ATTORNEYS COMBINED LATCH AND LOCK STRUCTURE Wallace E. Atkinson, Petersburg, Va., assignor to Long Manufacturing Co., Inc., Petersburg, Va., a corporation of Virginia Filed Feb. 17, 1969, Ser. No. 799,665 Int. Cl. Eb 65/52; E05c 1/10; A45c 13/10 US. C]. 70-71 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A combined latch and lock structure for luggage and the like, having a cup member to be mounted on a luggage surface defining a forwardly opening well extending rearwardly in recessed relation from the surface, a box-like housing mounted on and extending rearwardly from the cup member, a sliding bolt member in the housing having a fingerpiece projecting through a slot in the base wall of the well for latching a keeper hook projectable into the housing, and a spring in the housing which is flexed upon entry of the keeper hook to automatically eject the keeper upon release of the keeper.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates in general to a combined latch and lock structure especially adapted for application to containers for receptacles having separable parts to be releasably secured in closed position, and more particularly, to a combined latch and lock structure for luggage cases and similar containers having a cover section hinged to a body section, wherein the latching and locking components of the mechanism are located in a well member and are slidably disposed therein to normally lie substantially flush or in semirecessed relationship with the adjacent surface of .the luggage.

It has been the usual practice for many years in the design and construction of combined latch and lock mechanisms for luggage cases and the like to provide a springbiased bolt on one of the luggage sections which is urged intolatching relation with a keeper on the other separable luggage section whenever the sections are moved to a closed relationship. If a movable fingerpiece of some sort were provided in such prior devices to permit the operator to overcome the spring-bias and release the latch, it usually constituted a projection or extension from the lock body or casing which was subject to damage from striking other objects or to catching on other objects and being accidentally activated to release the latch, and which also disrupted the continuity and aesthetic appearance of the casing.

Recently, it has become very popular in the luggage industry to provide a channel-shaped extrusion at the line of separation between the luggage sections, or adjacent this line of separation, commonly referred to as a valence, producing an outwardly opening channel or groove extending entirely around the luggage into which the lock mechanism, and frequently the hinge mechanism and handle supports, are mounted so that they are either flush with the surface of the case or nearly so. Such a valence type construction involves the use of a rather expensive valence extrusion to provide the channel strip, and introduces complexities into the manufacture of the luggage because of the need to incorporate the valence strip therein with the outer edge of the valence strip substantially flush with the adjacent surface of the luggage.

An object of the present invention is the provision of a novel latch and lock structure which may be assembled with luggage in semi-recessed relationship with a wall of the luggage, disposing the outer surface of the latch and United States Patent Office 3,527,067 Patented Sept. 8, 1970 lock mechanism substantially flush with the surface of the case, without requiring a valence strip, or which may be used with relatively shallow valence channels, or which may be used with very narrow valences by mounting the structure beside, rather than into, the channel defined by the valence.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a combined latch and lock structure designed to be mounted in a shallow, rectangular well or cup recessed into the surface of a luggage case, having relatively small transverse and longitudinal dimensions to occupy only a small area of the case.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a novel combined latch and lock structure which is simple and compact in construction, attractive in appearance, and reliable in operation, and which is capable of manufacture in an economical manner.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a combined latch and lock structure associated with a rectangular shallow well or cup recessed into the surface of a luggage case, wherein the latch and lock components are mounted in a rectangular casing supported on and extending inwardly of the luggage from the base panel of the well or cup with a slidable fingerpiece projecting into the well to be manually activated for releasing the latch, and wherein resilient means are provided for automatically ejecting the keeper upon release of the latch and for automatically latching the keeper when the luggage is closed.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a combined latch and lock mechanism constructed in accordance with the present invention, shown in position on a portion of a luggage case;

FIG. 2. is an exploded perspective view of components of the latch and lock mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal section view, to enlarged scale, of the latch and lock mechanism shown in latched condition and taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a vertical section view taken along the line 44 of FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, the combined latch and lock structure of the present invention is indicated generally by the reference character 10 and comprises a latch section 11, which may, for example, be mounted on a tray or body portion 12 of the luggage case, adapted to co-act with a keeps 13 which may be mounted on the separable cover section 14 of the luggage case. Such latch section and keeper may be mounted on the front wall of their respective receptacle sections, as shown in FIG. 1, adjacent the plane of separation 15 between the receptacle body and cover.

The latch section 11 comprises a well or cup member 16 of generally rectangular configuration, stamped, for example, from sheet metal, and having its major dimension extending horizontally on the front wall of the case substantially parallel to the plane of separation 15. The well or cup member 16 has a shallow well portion 17, of

generally rectangular configuration, which may project to a slight extent into an opening 18 cut in the front wall 12' of the luggage. The well 17 is bounded by a planar base panel 19, parallel top and bottom walls 20 and 21 extending perpendicular to the base wall or panel 19, and parallel end walls 22 and 23 also extending perpendicular to the base panel 19. The marginal portions of the cup or well member 16 on all sides thereof extend outwardly beyond the well-forming walls and define an integral rectangular frame 24 which is designed to abut against the front surface of the luggage wall 12' and define mounting and locating flanges to be disposed flush against the surface of the lugage wall '12. Alternatively, the well member 16 may be mounted on the base wall of a valance with the well portion 17 projecting into a suitable accommodating opening cut in the valance base wall. The base panel 19 of the well member 16 is provided with a rectangular opening 25, a slot 26 and a circula opening 27 for purposes to be later described.

A lock housing or casing member 28 forming a rectangular forwardly opening boxed structure is adapted to be aflixed rearwardly against the well member 16 and includes a rear wall 29, end walls 30 and 31 and top and bottom walls 32 and 33, the top and bottom walls 32, 33 having oppositely, outwardly projecting flanges 32a, 33a, projecting from the forwardmost edges thereof about which bendable securing lugs 24a extend from the top and bottom margins of the frame 24 to securely assemble the lock housing member 28 to the well member 16. The end wall 31 has a tongue formation 31a which interfits in the slot 26 to assist in properly locating the housing 28.

A latch bolt member 35 is nested in and slidably movable within the lock housing member 28 in the direction of the major longitudinal axis of the well member 16, and comprises a front plate portion 36, top and bottom rearwardly projecting flanges 37 and 38 slidably nesting inwardly against the top and bottom walls 32, 33 of the housing member 28, and a fingerpiece extension 39 having a first portion projecting forwardly perpendicular to the plane of the front plate 36 from one end thereof through the opening 25 and a terminal portion 39a extending at right angles thereto parallel to the base panel 19 and within the well portion 17 for manipulation by the finger of the user. One of the flanges, for example, the top flange 37 of the latch bolt member 35, has an inwardly or downwardly bent corner portion 37a forming a shoulder bearing against one leg of a first U-shaped spring 40. The terminal portion of the other leg of spring 40 bears against the adjacent end wall, for example, the end wall 31, of the lock housing member 28 to continuously bias the latch bolt member 35 to a limit position wherein its end portion abuts against the opposite end wall 30, this being the latching position of the latch bolt member 35. At this latching position, the latching shoulder formation 370 of the top flange 37 adjacent the rabbet or cutout corner 37b thereof projects to a latching position lapping a portion of the rectangular keeper slot 41 in the top wall 32 of the lock housing member 28, to engage the slot 42a of the keeper hook portion 42 when the keeper hook portion is fully projected into the keeper slot 41.

A second U-shaped spring 43 is provided in the lock housing member 28 between the rear wall 29 and the front plate portion 36 of the latch bolt member 35, with one of its legs, for example, the uppermost leg as illustrated in FIG. 2, disposed vertically beneath the keeper slot 41 and occupying a position such that the upper leg of the spring 43 is engaged and flexed downwardly by the lowermost convex end portion of the keeper hook 42 when the latter is disposed in fully inserted position through the keeper slot 41.

The locking of the latch bolt member 35 in the latched position is achieved by the locking disc 44, which may be conveniently stamped from a generally circular piece of sheet metal and comprises a peripheral flange portion 45 and a forwardly projecting, central, substantially domeshaped portion 46 of appropriate diameter to project which forms a journal opening therefor. The flange portion 45 bears against portions of the rear surface of the base panel 19 bounding the opening 27 and lies against the forwardly facing surface of the front plate portion 36 of latch bolt member 35. A diametric slot 46a is formed in the cylindrical dome-shaped portion 46 and may project a slight distance into the adjoining flange portion 45, passing entirely through the locking disc to receive the key bit. The locking disc 44 is designed to be slidably movable relative to the front panel portion 36 of the latch bolt member 35 and has a flat or cutaway portion 45a on the flange 45 thereof disposed, in the unlocking position, below the center axis of the lock ing disc and located relative to an outwardly projecting tab or tongue 47 bent outwardly from the front plate portion 36 so that the tab 47 may move rectilinearly immediately below the surface of the flat 45a when the fingerpiece 39a is moved to shift the latch bolt member 35 from the latching to the unlatching position. It will be appreciated that during such unlatching movement of the latch bolt member 35, the locking disc 44 is restrained against movement relative to the well member 16 by the bounding edges of the circular opening 27 in the base panel 19 through which the dome-shaped portion 46 of the locking disc projects. However, when the locking disc 44 occupies any other angular position, particularly the position rotated from that illustrated in FIG. 2, the uninterrupted portions of the flange 45 lie in the path of movement of the tab 47 in the direction of unlatching movement of the latch bolt member 35 and thus prevent unlatching movement of the latter.

The locking disc 44 is restrained in either locking or unlocking position by a pair of outwardly extending detent projections 48 on the front plate portion 36 of the latch bolt member 35 aligned along the axis of unlocking movement of the latch bolt member and interfitting into detent grooves or recesses 49 in the locking disc flange 45 to restrain the locking disc in either the locking or unlocking positions to which it has been adjusted by the key.

In the operation of this latch and lock mechanism, it will be appreciated that upon movement of the cover section 14 of the luggage to closed position relative to the tray or body section 12, the concavely curved leading edge portion of the keeper hook 42 enters the keeper slot 41 in the lock housing member 28, and engages the latching shoulder formation 37c of the top flange 37 of latch bolt member 35 to cam the latter against the resilient bias of the spring 40 toward unlatching position until the keeper slot 42a becomes aligned with the top flange 37, whereupon the spring 40 returns the latch bolt member 35 to the latching position inserting the latching shoulder formation 37c in the slot 42a. During such insertion movement of the keeper hook 42, the upper leg of the,

spring 43 is also flexed downwardly by the leading edge portion of the keeper hook 42. Upon rotation of the key in the locking disc 44 to dispose the flat 45a of the locking disc above the axis of the locking disc, uninterrupted portions of the flange 45 are disposed in the unlatching movement path of the tab 47 to lock the latch bolt member 35 against unlatching movement. When the locking disc 44 is turned by the key to the unlocking position disposing the flat 45a below the axis of the locking disc in the angular position illustrated in FIG. 2, the latch bolt member 35 can be shifted to the right as viewed in Fl'G. 2, from the latching to the unlatching position by manual movement of the fingerpiece 39a withdrawing the latching shoulder formation 37c from the keeper slot 42a and releasing the keeper hook portion 42 for ejection from latched relation by the stored energy in the flexed spring 43. Thus, upon unlatching of the keeper by movement of the latch bolt member 35, the keeper 13 is resiliently ejected from latched position and the luggage cover section 14 attached thereto is thus resiliently forced to slightly open condition.

While but one preferred example of the present invention has been particularly shown. and described, it is apparent that various modificationsmay be made therein within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed as'invention is: v l

. 1. A combined latch andlock structure adaptedto be mounted on first and second wall portions of separable parts of a container adjacent a line of separation therebetween, comprising a keeper to be atfixed to the first wall portion having a hook formation projecting toward the other container part and defining a laterally opening keeper slot paralleling the lineof separation, a latching unit for the second wall portion including a cup member formed of an integral sheet metal stamping having marginal flanges disposed in a common plane adapted to be mounted flush against an exterior surface of the second wall portion and including top and bottom, end and base panel portions collectively defining a forwardly opening well extending rearwardly from said common plane with said base panel portion generally paralleling said common plane, a generally box-shaped housing secured in rearwardly projecting relation to marginal portions of said cup member having top, bottom, rear and end walls defining a chamber with said base panel, said top wall of said housing having a keeper slot therein for passage of said hook formation into said chamber to a latching position disposing said keeper slot in the plane of said top wall, a slidable bolt in said chamber having a flange portion underlying said top wall for releasably interfitting into said keeper slot and an integral fingerpiece extending through a slot in said base panel to an exposed position within said well for manual manipulation, means guiding said bolt for rectilinear reciprocative movement parallel to said line of separation between latching and unlatching positions, said slot in said base panel accommodating movement of said fingerpiece therein between said latching and unlatching positions, and means resiliently urging said bolt to latching position locating part of said flange portion in said keeper slot when the keeper slot registers with the path of movement of the flange portion.

2. A combined latch and lock structure as defined in claim 1, said bolt including a plate portion integral with said flange portion supported in rearwardly spaced parallelism with the plane of said base panel for rectilinear reciprocative movement parallel to said line of separation, and said flange portion extending rearwardly from said plate portion in a plane perpendicular to the plane of said plate portion.

3. A combined latch and lock structure as defined in claim 1, including spring means in said chamber having a flexible displaceable leg located inwardly adjacent said keeper slot to be flexed inwardly by engagement with the keeper hook formation during entry of the latter through the keeper slot for storing energy to resiliently eject the keeper from the chamber upon release of the keeper hook during movement of the bolt to unlatching position.

4. A combined latch and lock structure as defined in claim 2, including spring means in said chamber having a flexible displaceable leg located inwardly adjacent said keeper slot to be flexed inwardly by engagement with the keeper hook formation during entry of the latter through the keeper slot for storing energy to resiliently eject the keeper from the chamber upon release of the keeper hook during movement of the bolt to unlatching position.

5. A combined latch and lock structure as defined in claim 2, wherein said fingerpiece is a right angular extension from an end of the plate portion of said bolt including a first fingerpiece portion extending perpendicularly forwardly from said plate portion through said slot and a second fingerpiece portion lying within said well in a plane forwardly paralleling the plane of said base anel.

p '6. A combined latch and lock structure as defined in claim 4, wherein said fingerpiece is a right angular extension from an end of the plate portion of said bolt including a first fingerpiece portion extending perpendicularly forwardly from said plate portion through said slot and a second fingerpiece portion lying within said well in a plane forwardly paralleling the plane of said base panel.

7. A combined latchand lock structure as defined in claim 1, including an integral disc-like locking member journaled in said base panel having a circular flange along the major portion of the perimeter thereof at one side of the locking member slidably bearing against said bolt between said bolt and said base panel and having a fiat portion formed along a chord of said perimeter interrupting the circular flange, said locking member having a key receiving opening therein for rotation of the same to selected locking and unlocking positions, said flat being aligned parallel to the axis of rectilinear reciprocative movement of the bolt in said unlocking position, and said bolt having a forwardly projecting integral tab adjacent said circular flange disposed in the path of uninterrupted portions of the locking member flange between the latching and unlatching positions of the bolt to prevent movement of the bolt toward unlatching position when the locking member is in locking position and to permit passage of the tab alongside said flat when said locking member is in locking position.

8. A combined latch and lock structure as defined in claim 2, including an integral disc-like locking member journaled in said base panel having a circular flange along the major portion of the perimeter thereof at one side of the locking member slidably bearing against the plate portion of said bolt between said plate portion and said base panel and having a flat portion formed along a chord of said perimeter interrupting the circular flange, said locking member having a key receiving opening therein for rotation of the same to selected locking and unlocking positions, said flat being aligned parallel to the axis of rectilinear reciprocative movement of the bolt in said unlocking position, and said plate portion of said bolt having a forwardly projecting integral tab adjacent said circular flange disposed in the path of uninterrupted portions of the locking member flange between the latching and unlatching positions of the bolt to prevent movement of the bolt toward unlatching position when the locking member is in locking position and to permit passage of the tab alongside said flat when said locking memher is in looking position.

9. A combined latch and lock structure as defined in claim 4, including an integral disc-like locking member journaled in said base panel having a circular flange along the major portion of the perimeter thereof at one side of the locking member slidably bearing against the plate portion of said bolt between said plate portion and said base panel and having a flat portion formed along a chord of said perimeter interrupting the circular flange, said locking member having a key receiving opening therein for rotation of the same to selected locking and unlocking positions, said fiat being aligned parallel to the axis of rectilinear reciprocative movement of the bolt in said unlocking position, and said plate portion of said bolt having a forwardly proecting integral tab adjacent said circular flange disposed in the path of uninterrupted portions of the locking member flange between the latching and unlatching positions of the bolt to prevent movement of the bolt toward unlatching position when the locking member is in locking position and to permit passage of the tab alongside said flat when said locking member is in locking position.

10. A combined latch and lock structure as defined in claim 6, including an integral disc-like locking member journaled in said base panel having a circular flange along the major portion of the perimeter thereof at one side of the locking member slidably bearing against the plate portion of said bolt between said plate portion and said base panel and having a flat portion formed along a chord of said perimeter interrupting the circular flange, said locking member having a key receiving opening therein for rotation of the same to selected locking and unlocking positions, said flat being aligned parallel to the axis of rectilinear reciprocative movement of the bolt in said unlocking position, and said plate portion of said bolt having a forwardly proecting integral tab adjacent said circular flange disposed in the path of uninterrupted portions of the locking member flange between the latching and unlatching positions of the bolt to prevent movement of the bolt toward unlatching position when the locking member is in locking position and to permit passage of the tab alongside said flat when said locking member is in locking position.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Levine 70-70 X Thiele 7070 Atkinson 7071 Atkinson 7071 Constable 70-70 Brody 292163 US. Cl. X.R. 

